In a caller study for The Guardian, the writer Nneka M. Okona described the propulsion of historical literate sites. “I wanted to spot much homes of the Black literate forefathers and foremothers, the ones I gully inspiration from successful bid to write,” she wrote of a sojourn to Langston Hughes’ puerility house. But the travel proved disappointing.
There was nary marker astatine the site, for 1 thing. And Okona was amazed to larn the location had precocious survived a demolition unit by the tegument of its teeth. Looking into the mediocre upkeep, Okona discovered that galore aged houses connected to Black literate giants person been battling headwinds lately. And only 2% of the 95,000 entries connected the National Register of Historic Places “focus connected the lives, acquisition and civilization of African Americans” to statesman with.
There are galore reasons for this. Convolution and reddish portion beset the nationalist historical landmark petition process. Upkeep and preservation are expensive. For reasons we whitethorn speculate on, a ample proportionality of Black authors’ homes person passed into backstage ownership oregon distant from household who mightiness person protected a literate legacy. And with the NPS imperiled nether this administration, ample renovation projects—like the 1 in-progress astatine Carter G. Woodson’s historical home—could instrumentality longer than accustomed to complete.
In the meantime, activists and historians person been working hard to sphere Black literate homes. In 2017, the National Trust for Historic Preservation launched an enactment money with the explicit extremity of preserving Black practice sites. And immoderate autarkic preservationists are getting very creative. An creator corporate helmed by Julie Mehretu and Ellen Gallagher precocious pooled unneurotic to buy Nina Simone’s puerility house.
But accidental you privation to usage immoderate summertime abrogation clip to marque that literate pilgrimage now. Here are a fewer historical homes to sojourn and support.
Paul Laurence Dunbar‘s location has received guests for decades. The archetypal National Historic Landmark successful the United States to beryllium established successful grant of an African American, the Dunbar House sits successful the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park, wherever it’s inactive “owned and managed by the state, and jointly operated by National Park Service unit and Dayton History.”
Inside the two-story ceramic dwelling, visitors tin find exhibits commemorating the enactment of this author/poet/lyricist. The spot is unfastened to the nationalist astir days of the week.
Richard Wright’s childhood location successful Natchez, Mississippi has a plaque, and is simply a presumption connected the Southern Literary Trail. Though unluckily visitors can’t spell inside.
The author’s grown-up dwelling is likewise protected astatine a distance. You tin sojourn the Richard Wright House successful Chicago to spot wherever the writer of Native Son spent his aboriginal years. That tract received landmark status in 2010.
Lucille Clifton’s location stands contiguous successful elegant tribute to the precocious poet. The Clifton House successful Baltimore aspires to uphold the Cliftons’ legacies of poetry, art, and activism.
Thanks to Clifton’s daughter, the location is present location to trade and concern grooming programs, and serves arsenic a assemblage hub.
Langston Hughes’ grown-up home, successful Harlem, has happily been well-preserved. The location was reopened successful 2023 pursuing an extended renovation, and present serves as a taste and acquisition center, successful summation to a museum.
Visitors tin be a play poesy workshop, oregon a drum class. I’ll beryllium looking into the offerings connected East 127th Street for inspiration, Lord consenting and the creek don’t rise.
When you’re backmost from your pilgrimage, you mightiness see supporting much preservation endeavors. The African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund is raising wealth present to reconstruct the Pauli Murray House, successful Durham, North Carolina.
And plentifulness of different historical sites could usage our assistance in this wonky moment.
